The Red Sox have not broached the subject of a contract extension with Rafael Devers, though the player says he’s open to it, per Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com. Of course, that’s a boilerplate response from Devers, and one of the reasons agents are so important for players. Devers, represented by Nelson Montes de Oca of Rep 1 Baseball, can let a shoulder shrug do his talking while rightfully laying contract responsibilities at the feet of his agent. He will be arbitration-eligible for the first time after this upcoming season, so he can expect to field extension questions on a regular basis, though neither party has cause to be in any particular rush.After playing a starring role in the Red Sox 2018 World Series win, Devers didn’t disappoint with a .311/.361/.555 line last season with 32 home runs and 115 RBIs. He also notched a league-leading 54 doubles. Devers isn’t set to hit free agency until after the 2023 season. Let’s see what else is going on in the AL East…
- Blue Jays manager Charlie Montoya says Cavan Biggio is the Blue Jays second baseman. Still, given how spring training takes shape, Biggio will be keeping his outfielder glove within reach. The particularly contingency to track, per The Athletic’s Jayson Stark (via Twitter), is Joe Panik. Outside of those two, it’s not a deep field of second base contenders. Santiago Espinal, 25, hit .317/.360/.433 in his first taste of Triple-A in 2019, certainly showing enough to get a look this spring. Brandon Drury and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. also have experience at the keystone. Gurriel is ticketed as the everyday starter in left field, which is a position of equal or greater need for the Blue Jays unless something clicks for a youngster like Billy McKinney or Forrest Wall. Travis Shaw, theoretically, could also see time at second base, but he’s more likely to get his at-bats at first, third, or the designated hitter spot. Ruben Tejada, 30, and Kevin Smith, 23, are also both in camp as non-roster invitees.
- Yankees top pitching prospect Deivi Garcia is pushing to fill the injury void in manager Aaron Boone’s rotation, and good as he’s looked thus far, Garcia is unlikely to win a rotation job out of spring camp, per Newday’s David Lennon. The undersized right-hander has done nothing but impress over the last calendar year, and he continues to do so in spring training, keeping hitters off-balance with a power heater. Garcia, 20, won’t be rushed to the majors, despite the injuries. Still, given his progress last year, it wouldn’t be entirely shocking to see him in the majors sometime around his 21st birthday in May. That’s still too aggressive to be an expectant timetable – but given the uncertainty in the Yanks’ rotation and the level of competition in the division, an early debut for Garcia certainly can’t be ruled out.
I just adore Devers n his play from the first at bat a couple yrs ago. Extending him would take some of the sting outta losing Mookie n Brockstar.
I was really impressed with the strides he took defensively last season. You could tell he put in work.
Defensively he did look better. This will be a key year as he has to show (me anyway) his being a top five or ten bat was more him than it was the juiced ball. Another year like last and Bloom’s Tampa style of negotiating will face his real test.
Another thing that really stood out to me was he struck out 5 less times than he did in 2018 with 200 more at bats.
Devers went from -7 to +7 on defense from one season to the next. That’s phenomenal.
They should trade him before he gets to free agency. You can’t let him walk like Stan the Man would have.
Just clicked on the Ruben Tejada link because I thought the age of 30 must be a typo. Nope. He’s in his 14th professional season and he’s only 30. Wow.
Tejada would’ve had to been playing at age 16. This will be his 10th season.
‘Professional’ doesn’t only mean playing in the Majors. If you’re playing in AAA you’re still a pro baseball player. Tejada has been a pro ball player since the 2007 season.
You do realize that international players can sign at 16, correct?
Thus making them a professional as opposed to an amateur….
$4m for Travis Shaw?! WTH tigers
If only the Tigers signed him instead of Toronto. Unnecessary signing and an overpay.
Unnecessary and overpay for a short term deal. Lol. Keep pinching pennies, wait, arent you the guy constantly whining about Rogers not spending enough?! Wow.
He whines about anything and everything blue jays… dunno why he even follows them at this pt…
.151/.281./.270
$4-million dollars.
Unnecessary and an overpay. Make your case.
JaysForDays – please make an argument as to why I am wrong. Until then, thank me for being a Blue Jays fan with common sense. You and Beer certainly lack in that department.
Didn’t realize that last year’s stats take away from anything he has done on the ball field.
How did he do in 2018? Or 2017?
I’d even take his 2016 for $4mill.
He’s just about to turn 30 and his body isn’t falling apart.
The potential to get a season like his 2018 at the risk of getting a season like his 2019 for that price is very much worth it.
He even has an option remaining if he is trash.
He hit well in his AAA stint, but didn’t get much for ABs once he was called back up.
Hard to say he forgot how to hit.
Hopeful to see him turn it around like Mike Lowell did when he got his change of scenery. Not impossible for a player that seems like he is done to get a second wind.
Scott Spiezio is another case that comes to mind.
You seem to have dropped your common sense when you hopped off the bandwagon. Try to find some cans so that you can at least pay with some common cents the next time the bandwagon is cruising by for pickups!
Those words don’t go together for people like you
Six weeks too late JD. By saying “people like you”, are you trying to be racist? Given your political views I’d say there’s a good chance.
More than likely Yankees push back Garcia so they push back his free agency timetable.
Deivi Garcia is not ready. He dominated AA but not AAA. He wasn’t exactly lights out in his Spring start.
He doesn’t need to dominate to be the 5th starter for two months while they wait on Paxton, and if he’s pitching well enough to get big-league outs I don’t see a problem with him not mowing guys down.
AllRiseForTheJudge If they don’t think he’s ready they aren’t gonna force him into the MLB rotation over a 2 month stretch to open the season. They have other options they can survive that stretch with just fine that don’t involve playing games with a top prospect’s development .
His walk rose to 4.4 last year, he gave up 8 home runs in 10 AAA appearances and all scouts and development folks think he needs time, but All Rise says it’s time for him to start the season in the five slot. What are you 12?
If the Yankees go with a young starter I think they go with Clarke Schmidt. His experience at a top D1 program and his maturity give him the edge over Garcia. Plus, he’s a really good pitcher with command of all of his pitches.
I agree. I think Schmidt can fill the 5th starter role until Paxton and German come back.
Agreed. He’s not that high up on their depth chart. Also no reason to break camp and start his service time clock.
I agree. He needs to spend most of this year in AAA. It will help him. Putting him in the major leagues and he gets bounced around could destroy his confidence. Let him work in AAA.
Gotta love Devers and all the clutch hits he got in the 2018 postseason.
Off-topic, but that reminds me… got to love Jackie Bradley jr. and all the clutch hits he had in the ALCS !!
Extra base hit leader= Devers(90)
Doubles leader =Castellanos(58) Devers=54
American League
Let Garcia chill in AAA until the end of the year, and then unleash him, german, and Paxton in waves.
You have to have a pretty sick sense of humor to name your son Forrest, when you have a last name of wall..-.-
At least they didn’t name him Brick
Biggio in CF>>> any Biggio at 2b plus someone else in CF combo
If Joe Panik is his only real competition at second base, then Biggio needs to be playing 2nd. There is no reason for Joe Panik to be starting in the majors at this stage of his underwhelming career.
Here’s to hoping Tellez’s hot streak is real for once and then Shaw can take over second. I’m not gonna hold my breath for that happening though…
Travis at 2b if still on Team.
Travis is damaged goods. Wake up bud
Travis is damaged goods yet I’m not allowed to knock Travis Shaw? Or did you think Galvin was talking about Devon Travis? If it’s the latter, you need to wake up.
Devers.
LISTEN.
You can lock up a multi year deal NOW.
Mookie is gone.
John Henry is open to a long term deal.
You could get hurt.
John Henry could sell the team.
Take the deal.
A bird in the hand is worth 2 in the bush.
We all want to sell at the top.
But how do we know where the top is?
ESPECIALLY FOR YOU?
SH-T HAPPENS.
Right now you are sexy and in the catbirds seat.
But if you get hurt, get fat, lose your stroke?
You’re dog sh-t.
Sox may want to wait until the season starts before trying to lock him in, just to confirm they stay under the cap number this year… and push his extension to start in 2021.
But sure – why wouldn’t they want to try to extend him? These type of extensions are exactly the kind of risks small market teams love to make…. its right up Blooms alley. The Sox have the money to wait and see of course, but if they try to extend him early and buyout a year or two of free agency the risk is worth the possible reward in my opinion.
If they want to lock up Devers, they’re going to have to really pay up. Which they are easily capable of doing of course.
Lol SG!
Guess it comes down to who has the last laugh pasha2k.
The point is who knows the future?
There is an old saying.
There are 2 kinds of people.
Those that don’t know the future.
And those that don’t know they don’t know the future.
LOL
What is wrong with a bird in the hand pasha2k ?
A lot of times they leave a mess there.
And a iot of times they have an even bigger mess when they have a long term deal.
I heard that old saying differently…It’s “Italians and those that wanna be” but, potaytoe, potahto, right?
Hope the loss of Alex Cora does not affect Devers in the field or at the plate. They were real close in 2018 and 2019.
Jays already announced Grichuk will be the CF. It’s more due to the influx of OFs currently on the 40-man. If Biggio was taken serious as a CF he’d be playing there every single ST game.
Tellez is trying to play himself onto the team. Blue Jays are doing everything possible to push him to Buffalo. He’s the odd man out. He should be starting at 1B and the Shaw signing should have never happened. Especially with Panik all but making the team there is no need for Shaw.
Biggio has never played CF consistently in his entire amateur and pro career. You think 1 spring training is going to be enough then you’re fooling yourself. It could happen one day. Not now.
That’s not even what he was saying.
As Mo4ever said, not what I was saying. I get that I’ve rattled you for your previous incompetence on these Jays boards. At least come with some logic next time, maybe?
Slumps and injury.
If Tellez and Panik are outplaying Shaw, then Shaw may be the one starting out in Buffalo waiting for slumps or injury.
There is always need for insurance.
If the Jays wanted a first baseman, they would’ve kept Smoak. But they wanted versatility too, so they got Shaw. Rowdy is only as good as his hitting.
Players with versatility can be had at a fraction of what Shaw makes. He was brought in to start. His hitting isn’t good enough to warrant a starting job handed to him nor should it garner $4-mil nor should it be at Tellez’ expense. Plenty of versatile players who can do the same job as Shaw, if not better, at a bargain without dropping Tellez to Buffalo. Joe Panik is a perfect example, which I used above. Biggio, Gurriel, Drury all have versatility whether you like them or not. No need for Shaw.
A fraction of what Shaw makes? You mean 4/5ths like Brock Holt?
Try any rookie and they’ll do the same job, if not better, than 2019 Shaw.
The big issue is which Shaw the Jays will get.
Rather bet on the guy that’s done it before than the unknown.
Please explain this:
“…The particularly contingency…”
Thanks,
The English Language
If you wanted to correct spelling, punctuation and grammar, you could spend all your time doing it on these comment boards. Is that how you want to spend your time? If we can tell what each other is saying, does it matter? As for the writers, you couldn’t write for this site if you tried, so who are you to criticize? Makes me laugh when people go out of their way to correct a mistake. Pretty much all of them make mistakes themselves. Just get over it and press on…
yes Mo 4Ever you have the right concept. this is an opportunity for the average fan to express an opinion and as long as we can understand each other’s concept then perhaps a good idea will work its way up to someone that can implement it.